Producer with no Regrets - Chapter 549



Only Noblemtl

Episode 549

KS Entertainment was in a festive mood.

It’s said that KARA won more than a dozen music show crowns and was the best group without rivals at the time.

They achieved the highest initial album sales of all time among girl groups, exceeding 880,000 copies.

Following two consecutive months of ranking on the monthly chart, it seems likely that it will settle within the top 10 of the annual chart next year.

For that reason, it wasn’t a festive atmosphere.

That was already celebrated a long time ago.

“Have you seen YJS Enteraaaa!”

Dozens of tables were lined up. At each table, KS Entertainment employees were sitting, and the head of Management Team 1 was shouting in anger.

As he raised his glass and shouted, interested looks came from all over.

“Are you watching SMS Enteraaaa!”

Only then did people start laughing out loud.

Team leader 1 shouted out the names of the three major entertainment companies that were competing with KS Entertainment, one by one, and waved his hand in the air as if it was nothing.

“This is all we have!”

The greatest and best performance ever since KS Entertainment was founded.

Team leaders and above, including executives, received stock grants (an incentive method in which the company provides stocks free of charge).

The amount is equivalent to over 100 million won in the hands of each individual. In addition, employees below the level of team leader were able to receive generous incentives.

Director Koo Yoo-han opposed the move, saying, “Why are we giving this much money to the employees?”

However, thanks to the CEO’s strong recommendation, the employees were also able to enjoy the fruits of KS Entertainment’s achievements.

“If we do it, we will do it!”

Applause erupted here and there at the shout of Team Leader 1. His voice was filled with resentment.

KS Entertainment, which dominated the second generation, failed to produce results worthy of its name value after entering the third generation.

As a boy group, they were under a small agency, but now they are being pushed out by WTP, which is now considered one of the top 3 agencies just by its mere existence.

As a girl group, they were pushed by SMS Entertainment, and by YJS Entertainment, they were beaten to a level that was incomparable. KS Entertainment’s ‘B.I.S.’ was so bad that the name ‘Top Tier’ became meaningless.

But now, KS Entertainment has risen to the top of the industry with confidence, as if to avenge all the past grievances.

It goes without saying that Caius was the main character.

“Phew.”

Team Leader 1 sat down again while receiving applause from everyone. Unlike when he had cheered loudly, his face was red as he sat down.

“Is it okay?”

Team leader 1 ridiculed KS Entertainment director Yoon Hee-yeon, who was sitting across from him. Yoon Hee-yeon banged on the table while holding back laughter.

Soon, Yun Hee-yeon wiped away her tears and handed him 100,000 won.

“You really do this? You really like money.”

“The director told me to do it!”

“Did I tell you to do it unconditionally?”

“If ‘I’ll give you 100,000 won if you do it, do it quickly’ isn’t what you’re telling me to do?”

“Tseup, why are you speaking like that?”

Team leader suppressed his anger.

The person in front of him is the director of KS Entertainment. He is one of only four internal directors and registered directors at KS Entertainment.

As she is like the representative’s right-hand man, her power is absolute.

“sorry…….”

Team leader 1 immediately bowed his head.

“Why are you harassing your subordinates?”

Jeong Ho-hwan attacked Yoon Hee-yeon.

“Is this bullying? I’m being cute. How many people want to be with me even if they get bullied by me? Right, Yi-kwon?”

“Yes, I am your servant, sir.”

“No, that would be a big problem!”

Team Leader 1 is dealing with two directors at a company dinner. The only person at the same table as him is Senior Producer Kang Dong-hyun.

Kang Dong-hyun is a very rigid person like a stick, so it’s not fun to beat him up. That’s why Yoon Hee-yeon kept tripping up Team Leader 1.

‘Still, to this extent, the atmosphere is good.’

Team Leader 1 also felt relieved when Yoon Hee-yeon joked around playfully. If only Jeong Ho-hwan or Nam Hong-beom were there, the atmosphere wouldn’t have been this cheerful.

‘If I think about having a one-on-one meeting with Director Jeong without Director Yoon, oh my.’

The four directors of KS Entertainment are divided into two types: Jeong Ho-hwan, the head of production who has been with the company since its inception, and Nam Hong-beom, the head of management.

And Creative Director Yoon Hee-yeon and Business Director Koo Yu-han, who have only been with the company for about 10 years but have already won the position of director with their overwhelming abilities.

The latter two have a more free-spirited atmosphere than the former two.

‘however…….’

Jeong Ho-hwan’s expression has been dark since a while ago.

“Here’s a three-person portion of sirloin!”

At that moment, a voice from the back table struck Team Leader 1’s head. He checked Jeong Ho-hwan’s face again. It was still dark.

‘Oh, you’re worried about your wallet!’

Jeong Ho-hwan decided to pay for this dinner.

The purpose of today’s company dinner was not to encourage all employees at the company level, but to strengthen unity with those associated with KAIST.

Jeong Ho-hwan said that he found meaning in living on his own. However, he must have been worried about his wallet when feeding so many people.

“Excuse me, sir.”

The team leader asked in a sly tone.

“Should I tell him to stop?”

Jeong Ho-hwan, with his dark expression on his face, suddenly came to his senses.

“……hmm?”

“No, I just feel like I’m ordering too much and other kids won’t be able to eat it.”

Team Leader 1 tried to establish Jung Ho-hwan’s reputation. He said he would buy it, but he couldn’t directly say, “Should we cut the kids’ orders so they stop spending money?”

“So what?”

“yes?”

“Ah, I know this guy.”

Yoon Hee-yeon clicked her tongue.

“The chairman is worried about your wallet right now.”

“Oh, was that it?”

Jeong Ho-hwan showed a kind smile.

“You don’t have to worry.”

“Yes? Then, Director, why… … .”

“What am I?”

“Why?”

Yoon Hee-yeon poured expensive soju into Jeong Ho-hwan’s glass until it overflowed.

“That’s because the director’s face has been really bad since a while ago.”

“… … Is that so? Oh, I made you worry for nothing. It’s not because of money, so don’t worry about it.”

Team Leader 1 was embarrassed because his guess was wrong.

‘That’s right.’

One of only four inside directors and registered directors of KS Entertainment. The CEO’s right-hand man.

They earn a salary of more than 1 billion won every quarter. On top of that, they regularly receive incentives such as stocks and cash, so how could a few hundred servings of sirloin be a problem?

Excluding incentives, I earn about 500 million won a month in salary… … .

‘I cheered and said I received 100 million won this time, but to the CEO, it wasn’t even an incentive; it was much less than his monthly salary… ‘

Team leader 1 looked at senior producer Kang Dong-hyun sitting next to him. He was grilling meat without saying a word.

‘If he becomes an executive producer later, he’ll get paid that much, right…?’

Can the team leader himself become the general manager?

I don’t know.

The head of KS Entertainment Management has never changed. No one has ever witnessed how the succession is carried out.

‘That’s right. It’s too naive to think that just because I’m Team Leader I’ll be promoted to General Manager.’

Let’s try our best this time!

“Oh, but Director Jeong, you’re really amazing. The initial sales of 880,000 copies of KAIST? Can this really happen in our country?”

“That’s true. It’s nonsense.”

Team Leader 1’s soulful flattery was accepted by Kang Dong-hyun as a documentary. When his area of ​​expertise came up as a topic, he finally started looking at people’s faces instead of the meat he was grilling.

“It feels like the market is going crazy.”

“Hey, are you going crazy?”

Team leader 1 was surprised by his use of extreme vocabulary, but the two directors listened to Kang Dong-hyun’s story with interest.

“Isn’t that right? Even just a year or two ago, if a girl group sold more than 100,000 albums, it was like this.”

The miracle of girl groups.

Success myth.

Top class.

“Back when the 3rd generation kids were competing fiercely, you could count on one hand the number of groups that sold over 100,000 copies. Even just looking at our B.I.S. kids, we barely broke the 100,000-copy barrier with our recently released album.”

“Why are you pouring salt on someone’s wounds?”

As Jeong Ho-hwan laughed bitterly, Kang Dong-hyun hurriedly made an excuse.

“Of course, BTS is a great group! They changed the scene with their musicality! BTS, BTS will go down in history for that achievement alone! They ingrained global standard music into the heads of Koreans!”

Thanks to that, people say that K-pop has become completely westernized these days.

The second generation of idol composers who used Korean sensibility, namely the melody and structure of the song, as their strengths have lost their place.

Even people in their 20s and 30s who miss the songs of second-generation idols and say, “This is real music,” would shake their heads and say, “This is a bit… ” if a song of that style appeared in the present.

“And B.I.S.’s record still stands. ‘Portrait in You’ is still one of the most streamed K-pop songs in the US, and… … .”

“Okay, I understand how you feel, so let’s continue with what we were talking about.”

“… … It’s only been two years.”

In just two years, the K-pop market has grown to a point where even KS Entertainment can’t keep up.

In fact, it has only been about three years since the Korean entertainment industry itself became so large.

Those who are called large planning companies are called large simply because they are big in the entertainment industry, and they cannot be called large corporations just by looking at their size.

But now the market size has expanded to the point where a truly large corporation might emerge. It will expand.

“If things continue like this, a girl group that sells a million copies will actually appear.”

“Wouldn’t that be a good thing?”

Team leader 1 asked back, looking slightly taken aback.

Of course, that million-selling girl group will be K-Us. That would be a good thing, but Kang Dong-hyun seemed anxious from earlier.

“Because the benefits won’t be entirely ours.”

Yoon Hee-yeon heard Kang Dong-hyun’s story.

“Just look at the Girls’ League. In fact, the most direct indicator of market expansion is the Girls’ League. Right, Director Jeong?”

Jeong Ho-hwan nodded.

“This is what Producer Kang is worried about. He says we might lose our market-leading position.”

KS Entertainment has always been a leader in culture.

But now, it seems like they might lose that status. The K-pop market has grown beyond the size where a single company can dictate trends.

“It’s going to be a battle of wits. It’s certain that many girl groups will emerge following this trend. Some of them will grow like Girls’ League, and eventually even emerge as a company that can surpass the status of the big three entertainment companies. Just like WTP did.”

WTP’s planning agency will soon be reborn as an entertainment dinosaur.

It will swallow up numerous agencies and become larger than the three largest agencies combined.

They have now overcome the worries of Jeong Ho-hwan and Kang Dong-hyeon in a different way. They have grown to the point where they have no rivals at all.

With this, you gain the power to control the market and trends. What happens after that is still unknown… … .

“Even among girl groups, there may be someone who can surpass our stronghold.”

“… … But still, isn’t this generation being led by Caius?”

“I was convinced thanks to Caius.”

“Thanks to Caius?”

Team Leader 1 was having increasingly difficult time following the conversation.

Come to think of it, everyone at this table except him was a producer. So maybe the perspective is different.

“What I pursued this time was popularity.”

“Yes. Thanks to that, we became very successful. I’ve never seen an idol gain so much popularity in recent times.”

“But that popularity was actually a Korean popularity.”

“yes?”

“That’s a given.”

There is no such thing as ‘just aiming for popularity’.

Since K-pop has made more money in the international market than domestically, producers have started to pay more attention to overseas markets than domestic markets in the early stages of planning.

And popularity has become more ambiguous.

“Putting aside the big things like popularity in Korea, popularity in Japan, and popularity in the United States, aren’t the meanings of popularity in Europe and South America all different?”

“ah…….”

The trends in popular music in each country are different. American pop music ignores them, but it is still difficult to overcome the status of domestic music.

Of course, there are quite a few countries that consume American pop music as if it were their own music.

Most of these countries have had their cultural development suppressed due to dictatorship or communism, or have failed to achieve the economic power to foster culture.

They failed to invent modern culture, and are in a similar position to a cultural colony in terms of music.

“What I pursued was something Korean. Music that Korean people would listen to. I tried to capture a wide age range. That’s why the production team resisted. They thought it wouldn’t get a response overseas. But that… … .”

“Are you saying that it was successful not only in Korea but also overseas?”

“Yes. This is the situation.”

Jeong Ho-hwan shrugged.

“You can succeed at anything you do.”

“… … !”

“You don’t necessarily need a new-fashioned production system or Westernized musical achievements. If you have the personality to captivate people, you can succeed. The market has grown to that level. You never know what will happen. We… … .”

Jeong Ho-hwan wet his lips with alcohol.

“At first, I looked at Japan, and up until then, I looked at America. I thought pop was good. But when I reached the same level as pop in terms of music… … I reached the point where I thought, ‘What should I do now?’”

Up until now, we have tried to resemble the United States, the pinnacle of popular culture. We have desperately copied their technology and trends.

And when I finally acquired all those skills, there was only emptiness around me.

Who should I chase now?

“We always felt like we were ahead, but that’s no longer the case. The very concept of being ahead is gone.”

The surroundings became noisy.

Everyone looked that way.

Fearing that someone might think they were Entertainment employees, the television was also turned on to a music broadcast.

The MCs introduce the next turn.

[Next up is Girls’ League having their first comeback stage on ‘Music Station’!]

Jeong Ho-hwan, like everyone else, stared at the screen as if he was possessed.

“It’s time to choose.”

* * *

‘I want to learn composition.’

This is what Yang So-min said when she came to Yoon Sang-yeol’s studio.

Yoon Sang-yeol stared at Yang So-min with a look of bewilderment for about 15 seconds. The longer he stared at her, the more Yang So-min lowered her head.

“why?”

It was a question that Yoon Sang-yeol asked after a long but brief silence.

Yang So-min fidgeted with her folded hands.

‘Because of the mixtape… … .’

I can’t bring that up.

Noah’s ambitious ‘Samurai Girls’ plan was destroyed like a dog before it even started.

Of course, Erica refused. She said that Noah’s story had no vision or future.

The tone was so strong that even Rahee, who had initiated the plan, backed down. But Rahee did not give up.

In the month since that incident, Rahee has been honing her plan.

Rahee, who was carrying out her plan with the determination to foster independence and will in the members and revive their desire to rise up…

‘I quit.’

The reason was the success of Globe’s first album, ‘Graffiti’.

The title song ‘Who Aren’ is still doing well, staying in the top 70 on the charts, but compared to the previous songs, it was a miserable failure.

But the Globe ultimately succeeded.

The Globe surprisingly received a good response overseas.

It is showing strength on the global charts of music streaming apps ‘Spotify’ and ‘Apple Music’.

The members’ complaints naturally subsided as they checked the amount of money that would be deposited into their accounts this quarter.

It was clearly a large amount of money compared to what we had been paying so far, so even though it was questionable, we had no choice but to accept Yoon Sang-yeol’s strategy.

As the members’ conditions improved, Rahee also scrapped her ambitious mixtape plans.

But Yang So-min didn’t give up.

‘Someday, definitely… … .’

I will definitely recreate Erica’s avant-garde, which should have originally belonged to Yang So-min. In short, I wanted to have an artistic exchange with Seongpil.

To do that, Yang So-min thought she would need producing skills, or at least composing skills.

‘Because Director Park likes that kind of thing… … .’

“Just, this… … .”

Yang So-min answered like that.

Her presence in Yoon Sang-yeol’s studio today was the adventure of a lifetime for her.

It took a lot of courage just to come here. But with the mental strength I had exhausted, I didn’t have the energy to even come up with a lie.

“ah.”

But Yoon Sang-yeol seemed to have noticed something and gave off an air of looking down on people.

“Is that the case for you too? After being in this industry for so long, you start to notice things. Do you think you’ve become an artist or something?”

The person that Yoon Sang-yeol hated the most was the type of person like Yang So-min in front of him.

This is a person who thinks that because they are popular and successful, they must be some kind of amazing artist.

“Can you let me debut as a solo artist? Are you planning on composing songs?”

“iced coffee…….”

This is a big deal.

There’s absolutely no atmosphere to listen.

Do you have no excuses?

Yang So-min was sweating profusely.

Meanwhile, she noticed something strange.

‘excuse?’

If it were the old days, I would have been so scared of Yoon Sang-yeol that I would have run out of the studio shedding tears.

‘Are you thinking about what excuse I’m going to make?’

What the heck is this… … .

Yang So-min glanced upward.

I saw Yoon Sang-yeol. He’s still scary, but he seems to be able to make excuses or lies.

You have that much courage.

It was then that Yang So-min realized.

‘that’s right.’

I did nothing wrong.

The reason I’ve been scolded by Yoon Sang-yeol up until now is because I was wrong one way or another.

Either you are lazy, or you are not on Yoon Sang-yeol’s level, or you have not reached the level of skill he wants.

But now… … .

‘I’m just asking.’

Yang So-min was afraid of Yoon Sang-yeol. But there was a good reason to be afraid.

There is no reason to be afraid in this situation.

If you get rejected, that’s the end of it. There’s no reason to blame yourself.

“I, I admire you.”

Yang So-min’s brain cells, soaked in dance and song, have come up with a trick for the first time in a long time.

“what?”

“PD-nim… … .”

But still.

“I admire PD-nim’s music, it looks cool… … .”

Lying is not something that a human being would do. Even if the other person is Yoon Sang-yeol, it still makes my heart ache.

“… … .”

Yoon Sang-yeol turned his chair a little more towards Yang So-min.

“That’s what composition is.”

Moreover, his voice even became slightly softer.

“You can’t do it with the mindset of just learning.”

Yang So-min nodded vigorously. At the same time, she remembered the game Noah had introduced her to in the past.

It was a smartphone game, and it was the type where you had to conquer male characters. If you chose choices that the characters would like to hear, your favorability rating would increase and you could progress… … .

“I need a goal.”

Yang So-min, looking at Yoon Sang-yeol, thought of that game. Could it be that this person is a very easy person to deal with?

“Oh, someday I want to release a song that I made. One that people like… … and that becomes popular… … like the music that the PD-nim makes!”

“What kind of people do you like?”

“yes?”

“What kind of music do you want to make that people like?”

“… … .”

Yoon Sang-yeol’s forehead furrowed. He was annoyed.

‘Oh, no!’

Yang So-min felt that the progress of the event was gradually decreasing. If the progress continued to reach 0, this event would end.

Unfortunately, reality isn’t a game, so there’s no such thing as a second chance.

Just as Yang So-min was hurriedly trying to make excuses.

“Do you want to make K-pop?”

“……yes!”

Yoon Sang-yeol was the first to throw out a question for answering.

“In K-pop, who do you like?”

“… … .”

“What is your favorite genre?”

“… … .”

Yoon Sang-yeol gave a short laugh.

“Do you really want to learn composition? I don’t even think, ‘I want to make something like this.’ If you’re going to waste my time, get out.”

Yoon Sang-yeol turned his chair back to face Yang So-min. He looked at the monitor. But he didn’t hear Yang So-min leaving.

Yoon Sang-yeol turned around in annoyance. And just as he was about to say, ‘Get out.’

“I want to win.”

Yang So-min said.

“I, I… … .”

Her voice trembled.

“There’s something I want to do. I want to win. I want to beat the Girls’ League… … and beat Caius… … .”

Now Yang So-min realized a desire she had been hiding deep in her heart.

“Music that can be the best… … .”

Yang So-min wants to see Sung-pil regret. She wants him to realize that abandoning her was a mistake.

Of course, I understand Seongpil’s choice. I know very well why he left Success Entertainment.

But wanting to make him regret and wanting to understand him are two different things.

“you…….”

Unusually, Yoon Sang-yeol was flustered. He didn’t scold her properly and didn’t even take the chessboard away, but Yang So-min was crying.

Yet her eyes remained wide open.

“PD-nim, you are the best composer I know. So, I want to learn from you.”

At the same time as knowing her own mind, Yang So-min realized something else.

She hates Yoon Sang-yeol. If Yoon Sang-yeol weren’t here, Sung-pil wouldn’t have left.

That’s why I really want to press Yoon Sang-yeol. I wouldn’t be happy if I was recognized by Yoon Sang-yeol for dancing? singing? Those things. His recognition isn’t sweet.

Yang So-min wants to beat Yoon Sang-yeol. She wants to take everything from him, down to his marrow, and finally take him down.

And finally, I want to become a person who cannot be messed with.

‘ah.’

Found it.

Something you’ve always wanted to do but never been able to do.

The most thorough way to get revenge on Yoon Sang-yeol.

‘I’m going to be a producer.’

First of all, I want to stand in a unique position as an idol.

Become a producer.

I will drive Yoon Sang-yeol out of the company.

It keeps going up and up until Kim Tae-hoon chooses Yang So-min himself over Yoon Sang-yeol.

“I don’t have time to teach you.”

Yang So-min’s ambition was extinguished in an instant.

“… … .”

It was definitely a very tragic moment.

For example, learning martial arts from an enemy in order to take revenge on the enemy who killed one’s master…

It was that kind of incredibly tragic moment?

Is this the end?

Yang So-min shriveled up like a drained onion.

“Alan Walker.”

At that time, Yoon Sang-yeol brought up the name of a DJ who had become a legend.

“Alan Walker taught himself to compose. He copied songs on a music composition program. Hundreds, thousands. Then, at some point, he realized.”

I guess I can compose too?

“I don’t have time to teach you, especially if you’re a complete beginner. Copy the song. One… … .”

50 would be a lot.

If you can copy 50 songs with just one music composition program and know nothing about it, you have to give yourself credit for your tenacity.

I don’t know how long it will take, but I’ll probably realize my helplessness and quit halfway through anyway…

“I’ll do 100.”

Yoon Sang-yeol was surprised.

“I’ll do 100 or 1,000. Then, will you teach me?”

“……okay.”

“What should I copy?”

“It’s up to you. What kind of song do you want to make, for example… … .”

Yoon Sang-yeol spread his index and middle fingers.

“Don’t compare it to K-pop and Globe. K-pop received responses from both Korea and overseas. In Korea, it was considered cool because it was Korean, and overseas, it was considered different. Globe was in a similar situation. In Korea, it was considered novel because it was different, and overseas, it was considered good because it was familiar. This is the basic conflict structure of K-pop.”

It’s a constant tug-of-war between locality and global universality.

Overseas, Caius succeeded by focusing on ‘difference’. Globe succeeded by focusing on ‘sameness’.

“Whenever you copy a song, always pay attention to this… … .”

At that moment, a beeping sound came from Yoon Sang-yeol’s computer. Yang So-min looked at his monitor.

[iTube]

[Girl’s_League Channel]

[(Girl’s_League ‘Automata’ MV) First Release in 1 Minute]

“… … .”

“… … .”

“… … .”

“… … .”

“Girls League.”

Yoon Sang-yeol spoke in the same tone as before.

“I said I wanted to win. I don’t really care if I win or not. I just happened to be lucky enough to keep up with the times… .”

Yoon Sang-yeol said something and something for a while.

“This is a good teaching material. Let me explain it with this.”

That’s how Yoon Sang-yeol and Yang So-min ended up watching the ‘Automata’ music video together.

After watching it, Yang So-min felt a lingering feeling. As soon as she saw it, she thought, ‘This is amazing.’

She asked.

“What is the Girls’ League…?”

If we take overseas as a standard.

Is it ‘cool because it’s different’ like Caius?

Is it ‘good because it’s the same’ like a globe?

The basic conflict structure of K-pop, both local and global. In that, which side did Girls’ League take?

“I don’t really know… … .”

Yoon Sang-yeol had no answer.

But in my head, I had an answer.

‘Different yet the same… … .’

This work, ‘Automata’, which is difficult to explain, evoked only one emotion in Yoon Sang-yeol.

It wasn’t a primary emotion like ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

‘amazing.’

It is a new sensation, a new touch, like the sea water you first stepped into that year.